Brecksville was founded in the lands of the Western Reserve in 1811, four years after several men — including Colonel John Breck — purchased the surrounding area. After the land was surveyed, Seth Payne, one of the surveyors, brought his family and settled in the area in June 1811, and he was soon followed by many other families. Although Colonel Breck never lived in Brecksville, his three sons did, and members of his family continued to live in Brecksville until 1934, when his great-grandson Dr. Theodore Breck died.

Brecksville was incorporated as a village in 1921, and it gained the status of city in 1960.[6]

Brecksville is defined by its scenic wooded bluffs and ravines which are a result of the geological confluence of the glaciated Allegheny Plateau and the Great Lakes Basin. As a result, every Brecksville resident is close to natural beauty. Many neighborhoods are located next to the Brecksville Reservation[8] of the Cleveland Metroparks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, one of the most visited National Parks in the country.[9] The Brecksville Reservation consists of 2,500 acres, thus making Brecksville unique among Cuyahoga County communities with one-third of the city being parkland.

Along with the Cleveland Metroparks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville offers a Community Center [12] with a wide array of amenities. For a small annual membership fee, Brecksville residents enjoy a 64,000 square foot facility offering a Field House, Fitness Center and Studios, Natatorium, Community Rooms, Child Care Facility, and Game Room. The field house is 10,650 square feet and features wood flooring basketball and volleyball courts, and has a stage and elevated in-door track.

As of July 1, 2014, the per capita income for a household in the city was $116,748 and the per capita income for a family was $141,228.[13] Of the city's population over the age of 25, 78% hold an Associate degree or higher, 51% hold a Bachelor's Degree or higher, and 23% hold a Graduate Degree.[14]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 13,656 people, 5,349 households, and 3,883 families residing in the city. The population density was 697.8 inhabitants per square mile (269.4/km2). There were 5,623 housing units at an average density of 287.3 per square mile (110.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.3% White, 1.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 3.4% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 5,349 households of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.4% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 47.4 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.1% were from 25 to 44; 36.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

There were 5,033 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $88,358, and the median income for a family was $104,347. Males had a median income of $65,382 versus $39,912 for females. The per capita income for the city was $37,838. About 1.8% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Brecksville is located near or on a number of highways that provide access to neighboring communities. Its major thoroughfares are State Route 21 (Brecksville Road) north and south, and State Route 82 (Royalton Road west of SR 21, Chippewa Road east of SR 21). I-77 provides access to Cleveland and Akron, while I-80 (the Ohio Turnpike) provides access to Toledo and Pennsylvania. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and Akron Metro RTA[19] buslines converge in Brecksville at the decommissioned VA Medical Center off Brecksville Road. This provides easy access to either Cleveland or Akron and outlying areas without having to drive.

Brecksville has a solid, diversified economy. Brecksville is a financial center with branches of major regional banks, real estate firms, and national financial asset management companies located in the city. Additionally, such notable companies as Berkshire Hathaway's Lubrizol Corporation, Duck Creek Energy, Inc., Med Data, Inc., Truenorth Energy, Applied Medical Technology, Inc., PNC Financial Services, and AT&T are either headquartered or have sizable operations in the city. Brecksville is also the center of a burgeoning art and culinary scene with a number of locally owned galleries, restaurants and wine bars.[20]

Brecksville shares a school system with its neighboring city, Broadview Heights. There are three elementary schools (Hilton Elementary, Highland Drive Elementary, Chippewa Elementary) within Brecksville proper, and an intermediate school (Central School), a junior high school, and a high school in the system.

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights school system has received various awards for excellence in education. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Education recognized Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School as an NCLB Blue Ribbon School.[21] Most recently, the Chippewa and Hilton Elementary Schools were awarded the "School of Distinction" honor by the State Superintendent of Schools.[22]Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School was also a past nominee, by the Ohio Department of Education, for the prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award.[22]

Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School has consistently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report magazine as being in the top 5 percent of all high schools in the United States.[23] And in 2013, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School was recognized in Newsweek magazine's list of the top 2000 public high schools in the United States.[24] Because of its high academic standards, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School students are represented in the National Merit Scholars and the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.[25]

Along with academic excellence, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School's sports program competes at the state championship level. In 2015, the girl's gymnastic team won its twelfth consecutive state title and fifteenth overall.[26] The boy's wrestling team won the 2015 state championship.[27] The basketball, football, soccer, cross-country, and swimming/diving programs vie for regional and state titles as well.

Rounding out Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School's achievements, the BBHHS Orchestra[28] provides Chamber, Concert, and String music performances throughout the year. The BBHHS Orchestra recently received an Excellent (II) rating by the Ohio Music Education Association(OMEA).[29]

Cleveland's MetroHealth System is building a $20 million outpatient center-emergency room in Brecksville at the intersection of Ohio Route 82 and Interstate 77.[30] The center is scheduled to open in 2016.

Brecksville has a branch of Akron Children's Hospital, staffed with board-certified pediatricians, that offers neurological and pediatric primary care for babies, children and teens.[31]

In 2014, Brecksville was named by Family Circle magazine as one of the top ten US towns to raise families.[32] The magazine stated that Brecksville has top-rated schools and plenty of green space—including Cuyahoga Valley National Park—for a family-friendly setting. It noted the schools emphasize achievement as well as giving back to the community. Such factors as affordable homes, quality schools, access to healthcare, green space, low crime rate and financial stability were considered as the basis for this award.

In 2015, Brecksville was named Ohio's third safest city in its population size category.[33] The study conducted by ValuePenguin [34] focused on recent FBI statistics. Neighboring Broadview Heights was ranked the second safest city in the same population size category underscoring the area's low crime rate.

Brecksville's Chippewa Garden Club received the “2013 Garden Club of the Year” Award from the Garden Clubs of Ohio.[35] Formed in 1949, the goals of the founding members of the Chippewa Garden Club are; To share a love for gardening, to study the fine art of flower design, to aid in the protection of native plants and wildlife, and to encourage civic betterment. The club previously won the award in 2005 and 2007.

Brecksville Little Theatre was incorporated as a non-profit community organization in 1949 under charter by the State of Ohio. Performances have been continually held in the Old Town Hall, a registered historic landmark. Brecksville Little Theatre, committed to the community, also provides two scholarship awards to deserving high school seniors in the arts and humanities.[36]

Brecksville Theater on the Square, founded in 1975, has developed into a well established theater of the performing arts, not only providing the community with family theater, but with a wide variety of drama classes and programs offered to students, pre-school through adults. Outreach programs, scholarship offerings and increased community involvement have made BTOTS an innovative local theater company.[37]

The Brecksville Center for the Arts is a non-profit, multidisciplinary art center dedicated to the education, inspiration, encouragement, and support of artists and art enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. Residents of Brecksville and surrounding communities are welcomed in discovering, exploring, enhancing, and promoting art of all types through affordable instruction, student scholarships, community collaborations, and special events.[38]

Jerry N. Hruby is currently in his seventh four-year term as mayor of Brecksville. He also serves as the city's Safety Director. In 2011 the Governor of Ohio appointed Hruby to the Ohio Turnpike Commission. He currently is serving as chairman of the committee.[39]